Everton youngsters will get their first team chances declares Unsworth
Blues Under-23s boss believes his youngsters will be rewarded with senior call by Koeman
BY DAN MATTHEWS
- 14:00, 6 DEC 2016
- UPDATED15:31, 6 DEC 2016
SPORT
LONDON, ENGLAND - NOVEMBER 05: Tom Davies of Everton (L) and Oscar of Chelsea (R) during the Premier League match between Chelsea and Everton at Stamford Bridge on November 5, 2016 in London, England. (Photo by Julian Finney/Getty Images)
Some of Everton’s table-topping U23s will eventually force their way into the Blues first team, manager David Unsworth claimed in the wake of their 3-1 Premier League Cup win over Portsmouth.
Goals from Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Calum Dyson helped Everton to victory in Southport, despite a late Portsmouth rally.
Unsworth’s side are top of Premier League 2 and now lead group D in the Premier League Cup after two wins in their first three matches.
But despite a run of only one win in 10 matches in all competitions, Ronald Koeman has so far been reluctant to blood many youngsters in his first team.
Tom Davies is one of Unsworth’s squad who has been given a chance in the Premier League this season – albeit only in brief cameos.
David Unsworth, Manager of Everton during the EFL Checkatrade Trophy match between Cheltenham Town and Everton at Whaddon Road on October 4, 2016 in Cheltenham, England. (Photo by Harry Trump/Getty Images)
He has been in impressive form for the U23s and he again screened his back four with class and composure against Portsmouth, prompting his manager to label him “the best player on the pitch”.
And though he believes there is “no doom and gloom” surrounding the first team’s current form, Unsworth is confident young players like Davies will break through if they continue in this vein.
He told the ECHO: “These lads have got to keep learning, keep listening, keep progressing and keep waiting for their opportunity and I firmly believe it will come.
“I thought Dominic [Calvert-Lewin] was good, I thought Kieran Dowell was back to his best, I thought Callum Connolly was great as well along with Tyias [Browning].
“It’s great to see Tyias get some much needed minutes and he’s slowly getting back to the form that got him in the first team 18 months ago. It was a good solid team performance all round.”
The victory over Portsmouth was only Everton’s third in their last ten matches.
But they remain two points clear of Manchester City at the top of Premier League 2.
And Unsworth believes the standards demanded at a club like Everton mean success in the cup is as important as maintaining their impressive league position.
“It’s important to win every game,” he said.
“We play for Everton, we develop players and there is an expectation that we need to win.
Dominic Calvert-Lewin skips over Maarten Stekelenburg during the Everton FC training session at Finch Farm on November 25, 2016 in Halewood, England. (Photo by Tony McArdle/Everton FC via Getty Images)
“That doesn’t matter whether it’s the first team, our U23s, our U18s, these young lads want to win every game that they play in and that’s important that the momentum carries on from whatever competition we’re playing in.”
After an impressive first hour at the Merseyrail Community Stadium Everton were cruising at 3-0.
Harvey Bradbury gave Portsmouth a glimmer of hope with an instinctive finish past Mateusz Hewelt, before the visitors wasted several good chances to reduce Everton’s lead further.
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But Unsworth was never concerned his side would surrender their advantage, despite having missed several good chances to put the game to bed.
“I wasn’t worried at all – it was a sloppy goal to concede from our own corner,” he said.
“They broke on us and got a bit of a lucky break. But I wasn’t worried. I was quite comfortable all evening.
“You are always looking for perfection and we probably could and should have scored a few more goals but we got three, we missed a penalty and created numerous chances – it was a good performance.”
